American-Eurasian Journal of Botany, 1 (3): 68-72, 2008 ISSN 1995-8951 IDOSI Publications, 2008

Indigenous Medicinal Plants Scripted in Amarakosam

Gayatri R. Nambiar and K. Raveendran
Department of P.G. Studies and Research in Botany, Sir Syed College, Taliparamba, Kannur, Kerala, India Abstract: Indigenous medicinal plants are an important component of traditional knowledge. Monumental scriptures provide a unique source for several medicinal plants. This paper reports about the 176 indegenous medicinal plants scripted in the Amarakosam (Namalingkanusasanum), an important text, dealing with the synonyms of almost all the living and non living object, written somewhere around 1-6 centuary AD. Key words: Amarakosam, Medicinal plants, Traditional knowledge, Exploration INTRODUCTION India is an exquisite example of biodiversity. From time immemorial scholars like Charaka, Barathwaj, Athreyan, Agnivesha, Dhanyandhari, Shushruthan, Wakbadan and Bharathduja etc. have studied and explored the possibility of such a diversity for human welfare and the most conspicuous exploration in this field has lead to the discovery of so many indigenous medicinal plants that were scripted mainly in Vedas (1500 BC) that contain rich materials on herbal lore of that time. Charaka in his medical treaty, Charaka samhita, dealt with innumerable medicinal plants, their usage and descriptions. Besides the two above said texts, treatise like Sushruth samhita and Ashtangha hridaya samhita are a few among other precious ancient texts. Thus the gradual accumulations of practical and systematic medical knowledge lead to the formation of Ayurveda. Ayurveda-the science of life, prevention and longevity, is the oldest and most holistic or comprehensive medical system available. It was placed in written form over 2000 years ago. Ayurveda is said to have been first complied as a text by Agnivesha (Agniveshtantra). This text was later revised by Charaka and renamed as Charaka samhita (completed by Dhridhabala). The concept of medicines envisaged in the Ayurveda comes from the monumental scripture called Ashtanga hridaya and Sahasrayoga [1]. Similar to the plant diversity of India the same kind of diversity exist in the world of scriptures delineating the miracle of medicinal plant. One among them is the Amarakosam. Namalingkanusasanum or Amarakosam was written by Amarasshimhan in between some where in 1-6 century AD. This treaty has three divisions. The first division has 10 chapters, the second division has 11 chapters and the third has 6 chapters. Two chapters of the second division are dealing with plants. Of it the first chapter deals with forest plants. The second chapter deals with medicinal plants, their names and synonyms [2]. Present paper tries to expose the identity of the medicinal plants mentioned in Namalinkanusasanum later known as Amarakosam by Amarashimhan. METHODOLOGY The two chapters dealing with plants in the second division of the text were studied carefully. The plants were recorded. Later these plants were identified with the help of standard literature [3-7]. The herbarium sheets of the collected plants are deposited in the Dept. of P.G. Studies and Research in Botany, Sir Syed College, Taliparamba. The identified plant species are arranged in alphabetical order by their botanical name along with their family. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS A total of 270 medicinal plants were mentioned in the chapter. Out of this except 94all other ie 176 were properly identified, listed and herbarium were prepared. A good number of these medicinal plants are still in use by Ayurvedic physician for various ailments. They use these plants in different forms such as juice, extract, decoction, paste infusion, powder etc.

Corresponding Author: Miss Gayatri R. Nambiar, Department of P.G. Studies and Research in Botany, Sir Syed College Taliparamba, Kannur, Kerala, India

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Am-Euras. J. Bot., 1 (3): 68-72, 2008

Table 1: List of Plants scripted in Amarakosam Sl. No: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65.

Botanical name Abrus precatorious Linn Achyranthes aspera Linn Aconitum heterophyllum Wall.ex Royle Acorus calamus Linn Adenanthera pavonia Linn Adhathoda vasica Nees Aegle marmelos Corr Alangium salviifolium Wang Albizia lebbeck Benth Allium cepa Linn Allium sativum Linn Alpinia galanga Willd Alstonia scholaris R.Br. Amaranthus viridis Linn Amomum aromaticum Roxb Anethum graveolens Linn Angelica glauca Edgeew Areca catechu Linn Artocarpus hirsutus Lan Artocarpus intergifolia Linn. Asparagus recemosa Willd Azardiracehta indica Juss Baccopa monneiri (L) Pennell Balanites roxburghii Planch Baliospermum montanum (Willd)Muell Arg Bambusa arundinacea Willd Basella alba Linn Bassia longifolia Linn Bennincasa hispida (Thunb) Cogn Bombax ceiba Linn Borassus flabellifer Buchanania lanzan Spreng Butea monosperma (Lam) Taub Callicarpa lanata Linn Calophyllum tomemtosum Weight Caloropis procera (L) R. Br. Canarium strictum Roxb. Carissa carandas Linn Caryota urens Linn Cassia absus Linn Cassia fistula Linn Cassia tora Linn Cayratia carnosa (Waller Wight) Celastrus paniculatus Willd Cephalandra indica Naud Chrysanthemum cinerarifolium Chrysanthemum leucanthemum Cinnamomum verum J.S. Prasell Citrus medica Linn Cocos nucifera Linn Commiphora mukul (Hook.ex Stock) Engl Convolvulus gangeticus Linn Cordial dichotoma Forst Corypha umbraculifera Linn Coscinium fenestratum (Gaertn) Colebr Crataeva nurvala Cucumis sativus L Cullenia excella Wt. Curculigo orchioides Gaertn Curcuma latifolia Rose Cynadon dactylon (Linn) Pers Cyperus rotundus Linn Datura stramonium Linn Dendrocalamus strictus Nees Desmodium gangeticum (L) D.C.

Family Fabaceae Amaranthaceae Ranunculaceae Poaceae Fabaceae Acanthaceae Rutaceae Cornaceae Mimosaceae Liliaceae Liliaceae Scitaminae Apocynaceae Amaranthaceae Zingiberaceae Apiaceae Apiaceae Palmae Moraceae Moraceae Liliaceae Meliaceae Scorpularaceae Simarubaceae Euphorbiaceae Poaceae Basellaceae Sapotaceae Cucurbitaceae Bombaceae Palmae Anacardiaceae Fabaceae Verbinaceae Guttiferae Asclepiadaceae Burseraceae Apocynaceae Palmae Fabaceae Caesalpinaceae Caesalpinaceae Vitaceae Celastraceae Cucurbitaceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Lauraceae Rutaceae Palmae Burseraceae Convolvulaceae Boraginaceae Palmae Menispermaceae Caparidaceae Cucurbitaceae Bombaceae Amaryllidaceae Zingiberaceae Poaceae Cyperaceae Solanaceae Poaceae Fabaceae

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Am-Euras. J. Bot., 1 (3): 68-72, 2008

Table 1: Continued 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87. 88. 89. 90. 91. 92. 93. 94. 95. 96. 97. 98. 99. 100. 101. 102. 103. 104. 105. 106. 107. 108. 109. 110. 111. 112. 113. 114. 115. 116. 117. 118. 119. 120. 121. 122. 123. 124. 125. 126. 127. 128. 129. 130. 131.

Desmostachya bipinnata (L) Stapf Diospyros peregrina Gairton Dregea volubilis Benth Elettaria cardamomum Maton Embelia ribes Brum F Emblica officinalis Gaertn Enicostemme axillare (Lam) Raynal Ensete superba (Roxb) Cheesman Evolvulus alsinoides Linn Ficus benghalensis L Ficus dalhousiae Miq Ficus glomerata Roxb Ficus religosa L Flacourtia jangomas (Lour) Raeusch Fritillaria royeli Hook Garcinia morella Desr. Gloriosa superba Linn Glycyrrhia glabra Linn Gynandropsis pentaphylla Dec Hemidesmus indicus (L) R.Br. Hibiscus rosasinensis Linn Holarrhena antidysenterica Wall Holoptelea integrifolia (Roxb) Planch Hygrophila schulli Indigofera tinctoria Linn Inula racemosa Hook F Jasminum angustifolium (L) Willd Jasminum multiflorum (Burn F) Andr Jasminum sambac Ait Kydia calycina Roxb Lippia nodiflora Rich Loranthus longiflorus (G.F) Desr Mallotus philippensis (Lam) Muell. Arg Mangifera indica Linn Manikara hexandara (Roxb) Dubard Melina arborea Roxb Merremia tridentate (L) Hallier Mesua ferrea Linn Microstylis muscifera Ridl Mimusops elengi Linn Mitragyna parvifolia (Roxb) Korth Mollotus philippiensis Muell Moringa olefera Lamk Mucuna pruriens (L) DC Musa paradisiaca Linn Myristica fragrans Linn Neolamarckia cadamba (Roxb) Boser Nerium indicum Mill Nymphaea stellata Willd Ochlandra beddomei Gamble Oroxylum indicum (L) Benth.En.Kurz Ougeinia oojeinensis (Roxb) Hochr Oxalis corniculata Linn Pandanus fascicularis Lamk Pennisetum typhoideum Rich Pentapetes phoenicea Linn Pterocarpus marsupeum Roxb Phoenix farnifera Roxb Phyllanthus amarus Schum and Thonn Picrorhiza kurroa Pannel Piper attenuvatum Piper longum Linn Piper vetel Linn Plectranthus vettiveroides (Jacob) Singh and Sharma Plumbago zeylanica Linn Plumeria rubra

Graminae Ebonaceae Asclepiadaceae Zingiberaceae Myrsinaceae Euphorbiaceae Gentianaceae Musaceae Convolvulaceae Moraceae Moraceae Moraceae Moraceae Flacourtiaceae Liliaceae Clusiaceae Liliaceae Fabaceae Cappridaceae Asclepiadaceae Malvaceae Apocynaceae Ulmaceae Acanthaceae Fabaceae Asteraceae Oleaceae Oleaceae Oleaceae Malvaceae Verbenaceae Loranthaceae Euphorbiaceae Anacardiaceae Sapotaceae Verbenaceae Convolvulaceae Clusiaceae Orchidaceae Saportaceae Rubiaceae Euphorbiaceae oleaceae Fabaceae Musaceae Myristicaceae Rubiaceae Apocynaceae Nymphaceae Graminae Bignoniaceae Fabaceae Oxalidaceae Pandanaceae Poaceae Sterculiaceae Fabaceae Arecaceae Euphorbiaceae Scrophularaiceae Piperceae Piperaceae Piperaceae Lamiaceae Plumbagineceae Apocynaceae

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Table 1: Continued 132. 133. 134. 135. 136. 137. 138. 139. 140. 141. 142. 143. 144. 145. 146. 147. 148. 149. 150. 151. 152. 153. 154. 155. 156. 157. 158. 159. 160. 161. 162. 163. 164. 165. 166. 167. 168. 169. 170. 171. 172. 173. 174. 175. 176.

Poa cynosuroides Retz Var Pongamia pinnata (Linn) Pyre Pseudarthria viscida (L) Wight and Arn Punica granatum Linn Randia dumetorum Lam Ricinus communis Linn Saccharum officinarum Linn Salix tetrasperma Rox Salvadora persica Linn Saraca indica Linn Sarcocephalus missionis Wall Sarcostemma acidum Voigt Saussurea lappa C.B. Clarke Scindapsus officinalis (Roxb) Schott Semecarpus anacardium Linn Sesamum indicum Linn Sesbania grandiflora Pers Sida rhombifolia Linn Sida spinosa Linn Solanum melogena Linn Solanum surattense Burn F Solanum torvum SW Spilanthes acemella Linn Spondias mangifera Willd Stereospermum chelanoides (Linn.) DC Strobilanthes cusia (Nees) Imlay Strobilanthes sp. Strobilanthus citiatus Nees Symplocos spicata Rox Syzygium cumini (L) Skeel Tabernaemontana heyneana Wall Tamarindus indica Linn Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn) Roxb Terminalia chebula Retz Terminalia paniculata Roth Terminalia tomentosa Bedd Tinospora cordifolia (Willd) Miersen Hook F and Thons Trachyspermum roxburgianum (DC) Craib Trichosanthes cucumerina Linn Trichosanthes palmata Roxb Vetiveria zizanioides (L) Nash Vitex nigundu Linn Vitis vinifera Linn Vitix alissima Linnf Ziziphus mauritiana Wall

Graminae Fabaceae Fabaceae Punicaceae Rubiaceae Euphorbiaceae Graminae Salicaceae Salvodoraceae Caesalpinaceae Rubiaceae Asclepiadaceae Asteraceae Araceae Anacardiaceae Pedaliaceae Fabaceae Malvaceae Malvaceae Solanaceae Solanaceae Solanaceae Asteraceae Anacardiaceae Bigoniaceae Acanthaceae Acanthaceae Acanthaceae Symplocaceae Myrtaceae Apocynaceae Fabaceae Combretaceae Combretaceae Combretaceae Combretaceae Menispermaceae Apiaceae Cucurbitaceae Cucurbitaceae Poaceae Verbinaceae Vitaceae Verbenaceae Rhamnaceae

The present investigation throws light on the importance given by Indians in the field of biological science during ancient period. Current findings will contribute to understand the importance of such text, as most of us are unaware of such script and the knowledge in it. There is a need to carry out an in-depth survey and documentation of the medicinal plants in our traditional text. Once such knowledge systems are gone to the oblivion it would be an irrecoverable loss to the society. Hence, the conservation of these scripter and traditional knowledge in it seems to be the need of the hour. Moreover, such information serves as a base for new compounds with active principles for phytochemical, 71

pharmacological, pharmacognostical and clinical research. The steady increase in population and the awareness of the side effects of several synthetic drugs have encouraged the usages of traditional medicines in developing countries. Therefore utmost care must be taken for the maintenance of traditional knowledge and traditional medicines. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The authors are grateful to the Principal and Management of Sir Syed College, Taliparamba for their timely help.

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